Electric iron



Patented July 1, 1924.

DAVID MIGHIE,..OF IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA...

ELECTRIC IRON.

Application filed December 15, 1922. Serial No. 607,206.

To all whomv it may coac'ewt:

Be it known that I, DAVID MIoHrn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Irwin, in the county of estmoreland *6 and State of Pennsdvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Irons, ,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relate's'to electrically heated appliancesand"particularly to electric flat irons. o I

Theobjectof my invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive construction for an electric flat iron.

In .practicing my invention 1 provide a body portion comprising a sole plate, a top plate, and an electric heating element clamped therebetween, and a cover member therefor. A handle strap is secured to said cover and carriesa handle at its upper end. .The top plate has an end recess at its rear edge to provide space' for a pair of contact terminals of L-shapemounted on a bar of insulating material whose ends are secured against the upper surface of the top plate.

A supply circuit conductor extends through an opening in said cover and has its ends secured to said contact terminals. A

helically-wound spring has one of its ends extending through the opening in said cover and is held therein, and surrounds and supports said conductor over a portionof its length. A spring-supporting means comprises a punched and formed sheet metal memberwhich is supported at two points by the handlestrap and which, in turn, supports the spring at one point intermediate its ends The spring-supportng means has an integral portion extending along therear ofthe'iron, which portion is so formed as to provide, in combination with the upper part thereof, a three-point support for the iron in a backw ardly-tilted position.

In the single sheet of drawings,

Figure-1 is a View, inside elevation, of

an electric iron embodying my invention, certain parts being cut away;

Fig. 2-is a view, in rear elevation, of a body-portionof an electric iron and an ironsupporting ;member-. embodying my; invention;

Fig. 3 is a-fra-gmentary top-plan. view of-abodyportion;

Fig. 4 is a artial v ewain-rear.e a e of, an electric iron with the rear wall of the cover removed, and

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a sheet metal member for supporting the conductor supporting means and also the iron, shown in an extended position.

An electric iron 11 comprises a bottom or sole plate 12, a top plate 13, and a relatively thin flat electric heating element 1 1 located therebetween. .The sole plate. top plate,.and the heating element com prise what maybe termed the :body portion of the iron. The sole plate 12is provided with a depression 15. in its upper surface within which the heating element 14 and the bottom portion of the top plate 13 are located, this construction being adopted in order that a close operative engagement may be effected between the three members constituting the body portion, and also to locate the heating element as closely as possible to the working surface of the sole plate 12. The top plate is clamped against the heating element and the sole plateby a plurality of machine screws 16 which extend through openings 17 in the top plate .13, one of the openings 17 being located near the front of the iron, and two of the openings 17. being located at the sides of the rear portion of the iron.

The iron 11 is substantially of triangular contour and the side edges of the sole plate are provided with a relatively long beveled surface, as may be noted more particularly in Fig.2 of the drawing.

A cover member18, of stamped sheet metal, is provided. at the top of the body portion of the iron. A handle member for the iron comprises a handle strap 19, the intermediate portion of which is secured against the top of the cover member 18 by a rivet2l. A handle 22, of a suitable heatinsulating material, is supported by the two ends of the handle strap 19 by a bolt 23 extending therethrough and having a nut 2d at one end to tightly clamp the handle between the ends of the handle strap. The handle strap 19is further secured against they cover .18, and the cover 18 is secured to the body portion of the iron, by two machine .screws 25. extending. through the handle .strap and .the. .cover..-member and having screw threaded engagement :with two upstanding, integral. lugs. 26. located on the. upper. surface otythe-tap p a e T p V plate 13 is further provided on its upper surface with a web 27 which extends longitudinally between the two lugs 26, in order that the top plate may have sufficient stiffness.

The top plate has an end recess 28 adja cent the rear edg thereof in order to provide space for a terminal device for the body portion of the iron. A bar 29 of a suitable electric-insulating material extends across the topof the end recess 28 and has its ends secured to the upper surface of the top plate by machine screws 31. The bar 29 carries a pair of spaced contact terminals 32, of substantially L-shape, the horizontally-extending portion of each of which is secured to the bar by suitable means such as a rivet 33. If necessary the bar 29 may be provided with a pair of spaced slots or recesses in its vertical rear face to receive the vertically-extending portion of the members of L-shape, whereby an accidental engagement of the same is efiectively prevented. The ends of the resistor wire comprising a part ofthe heating element 14 are connected to the contact terminals 32 by means of screws 34. I

Asjthe heating element 1 1 fo-rmsno part of 'myfinvention it is not illustrated in detail and may be of any type usually em ployed in the art. It is here illustrated gen erally as comprising two layers of electricinsulating material, between which is located a resistor member.

The cover member. 18 is provided at its rear end with an opening 35 through which the ends of a supply circuit conductor36,

comprising. the usual twin wires may extend, the ends of the twin conductorsbeing connected respectively to the several terminal members 32 by machine screws 37.

An open helically wound' spring 38 surrounds and supports the conductor 36 over.

' a portion of its length immediately adjacentthe iron. The spring 38 is provided, at its inner end, with a turn of larger diameter than the others in order that it may extend through the opening 35 in the cover member and-be held therein to prevent its disengagement from the cover member. If

necessary or desirable, a button of suitable insulating material (not shown) maybe -provided at the outer end of-the spring 38 to present a finished appearance.

A means for supporting the helicalspring 38 and for supporting the iron in a backwardly-tilted position comprises a sheet metal member 39 which has an upper end portion 11, two laterally-projecting portions 12' intermediate its ends, and a lower end portion 13 of substantially U-shape.

' The portion 41 is provided with an opening.

t'therethrough, the metal immediately ad-v jacent the opening being embossed to pro-. ride a relatively lo g bea i g 51%??? 9? of the handle strap 19 immediately above the cover member 18. The width of the opening in the handle strap is substantially equal in width to double the thickness of each of the portions 12. The ends of the portions 42 extending through the handle strap are bent over in substantially the same manner as hereinbefore described for the portion 45 in order tosecurely clamp these portions against the handle strap 19 and to thereby support the intermediate portion of the member 39 from the handle strap 19. The portion 43, of U-shape, is

bent at an angle relatively to the portion 41 so that it may extend parallel to. the rear edge surface of the cover member 18. The outer endso-i' the portions of U-shape are bent at substantially right angles to the inner portion and are then return-bent, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. V

The hereinbefore described construction of the sheet metal member 39 provides a means for supporting the iron in a backwardly-tilted position, the ironresting upon the pro3ecting parts of the return-bent portions or' the portion 43, and upon the part 11 immediately adjacent the bend thereof.

The member 39 provides a means for supporting the conductor-supportin means in its proper operative position relatively to the iron, and is itself secured only to the handle. strap so as to be removable from the body portion of the iron with the handle strap. Any desired marking mayalso be applied to the outer surface of the mem-' ber 39at any desirable location thereon.

To .assemble the iron the, body portion, comprising the sole plate, top plate and heating element are assembled and the bar supporting the contact terminals is secured thereon. I member, and

spring spring-supporting The handle. handle strap,'covermember are also assembled 1n proper oper-.

ative positions relativelyto each other. The conductor cord is'then'threaded through the spring and the endsthereof secured to the contact terminals. The cover member is then placed in its proper operative position on the body portion, the cord being drawn through the spring as'required.

To disassemble theiron," it is only neces sary to remove the screws 25, after which coverfinembe'r', handle strap and handle,

enga ement with the contact'terinina-ls. The body portion of the'iron may now be disas sembl d, 'without interference from the'other parts of the iron.

Various modifications may be made'in the device'embod'ying my invention without departing from the'sp'iritand scope thereof, and I desire that'on'ly such limitations shall be placed thereon as'are'imposed by the priorart or are specifically set forth in the appended claims."

I claim'as my invention 5 1. In an iron, in combination, a body portion, a cover, a handle strap secured to said smegma a three-point supporting member for said iron secured to said handle strap only by integral portions extending therethrough and bent thereover.

2. In an iron, in combination, a body portion, a cover, a handle strap secured to said cover, and means for supporting said iron on three points at the rear end thereof, said means comprising a single formed piece of sheet metal having integral portions eXtending through and bent over against said handle strap.

3. In an electric iron, in combination, a body portion, a cover therefor, a handle strap secured to said cover, and means permanently secured only to and supported by said handle strap for holding a conductorsupporting member, and for supporting the iron in an inoperative position. 7

4. In an electric iron, in combination, a body portion comprising a heating element, a cover therefor, a handle strap secured to said cover, supply-circuit conductors connected to said heating element, a resilient conductor-supporting means, and a, single means secured only to said handle. strap for holding said conductor-supporting means in its proper operative position relatively to said iron, and for supporting said iron in an inoperative position.

5. In an electric iron, in combination, a body portion comprising a heating element, a cover therefor, a handle strap secured to said cover, supply-circuit conductors connected to said heating element, a resilient conductorsupporting means, and means comprising a single stamped and formed sheet metal member having integral means for securing it to said handle strap only, for holding said conductor-supporting means in its proper operative position relatively to said iron. 7

6. In an electric iron, in combination, a b y por on co pr sing a heating element,

a cover therefor,-a handlest'rap'secnred to said cover, supply circuit conductors connected to said heating element, a resilient conductor-supporting means, and means comprising a single stamped and formed sheet metal member having integral means for securing it to said handle strap only,for holding said conductor-supporting means in its proper operative position relatively to said iron and for supporting said iron in a backwardly-tilted position.

7. In an electric iron, in combination," a body portion comprising a heating element, a cover, a handle strap secured to said cover, a supply-circuit conductor permanently 'con' nectedto said heating element, a resilient means for supporting said conductor over a portion ofits length, and means-perinanently secured to said handle strap only for holdingsaid resilientconductor-supporting means at one point' intermediate its ends and for providing a three-point supportrfori holding said iron in a backwardly-tilted position. 1

8. In an electric iron, in combination, a body portion comprising a heating element, a cover, a handle strap secured to said cover, a supply-circuit conductor permanently connected to said heating element, an open helically-wound spring surrounding and supporting said conductor over a portion of its length, and means permanently secured to said handle strap only for holding said spring at one point intermediate its ends, and for providing a three-point support for said iron when in a backwardly-tilted position.

9. In an electric iron, in combination, a sole plate, a top plate having an end recess at its rear edge, a heating element located between said plates, a bar of electric-insulating material supported by said top plate above said end recess, a pair of contact terminals, of L-shape, secured to said bar, a

supply-circuit conductor, and means for electrically connecting said supply-circuit conductor and said heating element to said terminals of L-shape.

10. In an electric iron, in combination, a sole plate, a top plate having an end recess at its rear edge, a heating element located between said plates, a bar of electric-insulating material supported by said top plate above said end recess, a pair of contact terminals, of L-shape, secured to said bar, a cover member having an opening therethrough adjacent the rear portion thereof, a supply-circuit conductor extending through said opening in said cover member and electrically connected to said terminals of L-shape, a resilient conductor-supporting and protecting member having one end extending into said opening in said cover member and surrounding said con ductor over a portion of its length,

11'. In an electric iron, in combination, a sole plate, a top plate having an end recess at its rear edge, a heating element located between said plates, a bar of electric-insulatzing material supported by said top plate above said end recess, a pair of contact terminals, of L-shape, secured to said bar, a cover member having an opening therethroughadjacent the rear portion thereof, asupply-circuit conductor extending through said opening in said cover member and electrically connected to said contact terminals of L-shape, an open helical spring having its lower end extending into the opening in said cover and held therein and surrounding said conductor over a portion of its length, and a combined spring-holder and iron-supporting means; operatively secured to said iron.

12. In an electric iron, in combination, a sole plate,'-a top platehaving an end recess at its rear edge, a heating element located cover member having an opening adjacent the rear portion thereof, a handle mem ber secured to said cover, a circuit conductor extending through said opening in said cover 'member, and

electrically connected to said terminals of L-shape, an open helical spring having its lower end extending into the opening in said cover and held therein and surrounding said conductor over a portion of its length, and a combined spring-holder and iron-supporting means secured only to said handle member;

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9 day of December, 1922. V 3 7 DAVID XMIGHIE. 

